Jump to content
  • Member Statistics

    17,597
    Total Members
    7,904
    Most Online
    DAinDC
    Newest Member
    DAinDC
    Joined

Our region's extreme run


MN Transplant
 Share

Recommended Posts

You just made the big-time, with the DC snow drought featured on the Weather Channel.  Of course, they managed to transpose a digit, claiming it's now 780 days, rather than 708.  And they didn't credit your research, the way Ian did in his Capital Weather Gang story.  But, if Al Roker picks up the story tomorrow morning, can fame and fortune be far behind?

The 2-inch DC snow drought is over, at 1091 days between the storms of January 26, 2011 and today, January 21, 2014.  The previous record was only 701 days, between the storms of February 4, 1975 and January 5, 1977.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Time for a BWI snow futility update. So far we have 7.1 inches this season:

 

If BWI records less than 4.1 additional inches this winter, we will break the consecutive 3 year snow futility record.

 

If BWI records less than 1.5 additional inches this winter, we will break the consecutive 4 year snow futility record.

 

If BWI records less than 2.9 additional inches, it will be the first time ever that the location has recorded 3 consecutive single-digit seasonal snow totals.

 

The era of snow futility is over. Won't be tracking this anymore fortunately.

 

Record daily snowfall watch for tomorrow (1/21) at BWI- previous record is 2.0 inches, set in 1982.

 

Record lowest max watch for Wed. (1/22) at BWI- previous record is 19 degrees, set in 1961.

 

Snowfall record was beat, looks like the lowest max will get beaten too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here is an odd coincidence.  From the beginning of the official DC snow record in the winter of 1884-85 through the winter of 1999-2000, there was measurable snow on January 21st in only three years (1917, 0.8 inches; 1976, 0.1 inches; and 1982, 3.5 inches). However, since then there has been measurable snow on January 21st in six years (2001, 1.1 inches; 2003, 0.7 inches; 2007, 1.2 inches; 2011, 0.1 inches; 2012, 0.6 inches; and 2014, 3.8 inches).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here is an odd coincidence.  From the beginning of the official DC snow record in the winter of 1884-85 through the winter of 1999-2000, there was measurable snow on January 21st in only three years (1917, 0.8 inches; 1976, 0.1 inches; and 1982, 3.5 inches). However, since then there has been measurable snow on January 21st in six years (2001, 1.1 inches; 2003, 0.7 inches; 2007, 1.2 inches; 2011, 0.1 inches; 2012, 0.6 inches; and 2014, 3.8 inches).

 

Jan. 21 is the new Dec. 5 :-)

 

But that made me think- what day in the year has historically had the most accumulating snow events?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jan. 21 is the new Dec. 5 :-)

 

But that made me think- what day in the year has historically had the most accumulating snow events?

In DC, I believe that it is January 25th, with 24 events. So, perhaps we can make it 25 tomorrow.  December 5th, by the way, has had only ten. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is somewhat of a long shot, but I believe a top 10 coldest January at BWI is now possible too.

 

After yesterday we were tied for 14th coldest. And today was well below average so that will help. I think we will get in the top 10, but its possible Friday might ruin it at the very end with a near normal to slightly above normal day.

 

Rodney, how's DCA and IAD looking? Any chance of breaking top 10 there?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After yesterday we were tied for 14th coldest. And today was well below average so that will help. I think we will get in the top 10, but its possible Friday might ruin it at the very end with a near normal to slightly above normal day.

 

Rodney, how's DCA and IAD looking? Any chance of breaking top 10 there?

I would say DCA no, but IAD yes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We're now tied for 9th coldest! The low of 5 this morning will help even more. Now I'm waiting to see if we can get colder than 1994 (which is 7th on the list and only a half degree away)

IAD looks as if it will finish January with an average temperature of around 27 degrees, which would make it the coldest January since 1994 and the 6th coldest all-time.  The coldest IAD Januaries: 1977 (21.0), 1970 (23.9), 1984 (25.8), 1994 (26.1), and 1982 (26.2).  Bear in mind, however, that the temperature record there dates only to November 1962, and so we're talking about only 52 Januaries.  

 

DCA has not been all that cold, and will likely finish January with an average temperature of around 32 degrees, which would not be even the coldest recent January.  The coldest DCA Januaries over the past 20 years: 1994 (28.8),  2004 (30.6), 2003 (31.1), and 2009 (31.7). The all-time coldest DC January was 1918, with an average of 23.7, and there have been another 30 or so years in the 144-year January temperature record that have been colder than this one is likely to be.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

IAD looks as if it will finish January with an average temperature of around 27 degrees, which would make it the coldest January since 1994 and the 6th coldest all-time.  The coldest IAD Januaries: 1977 (21.0), 1970 (23.9), 1984 (25.8), 1994 (26.1), and 1982 (26.2).  Bear in mind, however, that the temperature record there dates only to November 1962, and so we're talking about only 52 Januaries.  

 

DCA has not been all that cold, and will likely finish January with an average temperature of around 32 degrees, which would not be even the coldest recent January.  The coldest DCA Januaries over the past 20 years: 1994 (28.8),  2004 (30.6), 2003 (31.1), and 2009 (31.7). The all-time coldest DC January was 1918, with an average of 23.7, and there have been another 30 or so years in the 144-year January temperature record that have been colder than this one is likely to be.

IAD finished at 27.2 degrees, which was indeed the 6th coldest January there, and 6.0 degrees below the 1981-2010 normal.  DCA finished at 32.2 degrees, which tied for the 39th coldest January in DC, and 3.8 degrees below the 1981-2010 normal. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Do you have the top-10 on hand, Rodney?

IAD Top Ten:

 

1) February 5-6, 2010: 32.4 inches

2) January 6-8, 1996: 24.6 inches

3) February 10-11, 1983: 22.8 inches

4) February 15-17, 2003: 21.7 inches

5) December 18-19, 2009: 18.0 inches

6) February 18-19, 1979: 16.3 inches

7) December 31,1970-January 1, 1971: 15.4 inches

8) March 12-14, 1993: 14.1 inches

9) February 12-13, 2014: 13.3 inches

10) December 25-26, 1969: 12.1 inches

 
 
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dulles' snowfall of 13.3 inches on February 12-13, 2014 cracked the IAD Top Ten, at #9, displacing to # 10 the December 25-26, 1969 snowfall of 12.1 inches. 

Speaking of Top Tens at Dulles, with yesterday's 0.3 inch snowfall IAD has now recorded 30.5 inches of snow this winter, tying this season for 10th on the all-time list.  Further, IAD's snow total this season has exceeded DCA's total of 15.2 inches by 15.3 inches so far, putting it within striking distance of the all-time record separation of 18.6 inches set in the winter of 1992-93, when IAD recorded 30.3 inches and DCA recorded only 11.7 inches.  That season  -- also an ENSO-neutral one -- more than half of IAD's snow total was recorded in March.   

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Remember Ian's article about how uncommon 1" and above snows are becoming at DCA.  Well in today's Washington Post there is a non-technical article by Reid Wilson on California's drought that speculates that melting of Arctic ice may be 'contributing to a slowing of the jet stream contributing to colder wetter weather in the eastern U.S. and more persistently dry conditions in the west". 

 

I guess for every winner there is a loser.

 

Kind of reminds me of spring 2010, when several hopeful posters here speculated that 2009/2010 could become the new norm or last winter when several scientific articles predicted that melting of Arctic ice could be responsible for warmer eastern U.S. winters and colder European winters. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

During the 2013-14 snow season, DCA and IAD have now each exceeded their three most recent snow season totals combined.  For DCA, this season has seen 15.5 inches vs. 15.2 inches for the prior three seasons; and for IAD, this season has seen 30.8 inches vs. 29.0 inches for the prior three seasons. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

 

IAD finished at 27.2 degrees, which was indeed the 6th coldest January there, and 6.0 degrees below the 1981-2010 normal.  DCA finished at 32.2 degrees, which tied for the 39th coldest January in DC, and 3.8 degrees below the 1981-2010 normal. 
 IAD finished February at 32.2 degrees , bringing the meteorological winter average to 32.9 there. That is 2.4 degrees below the 1981-2010 normal of 35.3, which means that season tied for the 15th coldest winter, and the coldest since 2002-2003 (30.7). However, it was still far behind the back-to-back winters of 1976-77 and 1977-78, which each averaged 29.0.DCA finished February at 37.8 degrees , bringing the meteorological winter average to 37.4 there. That is 1.0 degrees below the 1981-2010 normal of 38.4. However, this season was actually the 56th warmest DC winter of 143, and the coldest only since 2010-2011 (36.7). Moreover, it trailed the all-time coldest winter by 8.4 degrees. That would be the winter of 1904-1905, which averaged 29.0.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

  IAD finished February at 32.2 degrees , bringing the meteorological winter average to 32.9 there. That is 2.4 degrees below the 1981-2010 normal of 35.3, which means that season tied for the 15th coldest winter, and the coldest since 2002-2003 (30.7). However, it was still far behind the back-to-back winters of 1976-77 and 1977-78, which each averaged 29.0. DCA finished February at 37.8 degrees , bringing the meteorological winter average to 37.4 there. That is 1.0 degrees below the 1981-2010 normal of 38.4. However, this season was actually the 56th warmest DC winter of 143, and the coldest only since 2010-2011 (36.7). Moreover, it trailed the all-time coldest winter by 8.4 degrees. That would be the winter of 1904-1905, which averaged 29.0.

 

Winter precipitation this season was actually more impressive than temperature.  IAD received 12.08 inches during December 2013 through February 2014 vs a 1981-2010 normal of 8.38 inches and a 1978-79 record of 15.94 inches -- good enough for 6th all-time (relative to 51 meteorological winters there ). DCA received 12.13 inches vs a 1981-2010 normal of 8.49 inches and a 1881-82 record of 18.30 inches -- good enough for 19th all-time (relative to 143 meteorological winters in DC). 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...